Trump dispels Iran rumors, calls out Senate for approval of War Powers Act

By Sarah Roderick-Fitch
The Center Square

President Donald Trump is hitting back at several U.S. senators and what he characterizes as the “fake news” over Iran.

The U.S. Senate voted 50 to 48 to approve a House resolution in an attempt to force the president to withdraw troops from engaging in military action against Iran, with four Republicans crossing the aisle to vote with Democrats. Those Republicans were Sens. Bill Cassidy, R-La.; Susan Collins, R-Maine; Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, and Rand Paul, R-Ky.

In response, the president accuses the Senate of making his job “more difficult” in securing a deal but assures he will get it done.

“The U.S. Senate decides to have a poorly timed and meaningless War Powers Act Vote, telling the Number One Sponsor of Terror in the World that the United States doesn’t like what I am doing to them, and I must stop, and by so doing has provided aid and comfort the Enemy,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “Four Republican Losers voted with the Dumocrats, and Iran asked my people, ‘what does that all mean?’ These Senators have just made my job more difficult, but I will get it done, one way or the other, because I always get it done!”

In addition, the president raised concerns about “fake news” over the claim that Iran was planning to impose tolls on the Strait of Hormuz. Trump says he would terminate the talks.

“Iran has informed the U.S. that, despite troublemaking Fake News reporting to the contrary, there are ‘no tolls, no insurance costs, and no other charges of any king being sought or received by Iran on ships traveling the Strait of Hormuz,” the president wrote. “If this is false information, negotiations would end, immediately!”

Trump also appeared to shed light on plans to ensure funds released to Iran would not go to funding the Iranian regime’s military or terror proxy, instead saying the money will go directly to purchasing humanitarian items for the Iranian people.

“Additionally, no money has been given to Iran, or released from their money to them, by the U.S. We will be releasing some of their money, that is totally controlled by us, to our Farmers and Ranchers, for the purchase of Corn, Wheat, Soybeans, and more. Food is desperately needed in Iran, and we will be purchasing it for them exclusively from the United States,” the president concluded.

This idea was floated earlier in the week after Vice President JD Vance told reporters in Switzerland that the president’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, had devised a similar plan.

The memorandum of understanding, signed jointly by the U.S. and Iran last week, has come under scrutiny from some Republicans, posing questions over funds made available to Iran and the possibility of Iran tolling the Strait of Hormuz.

Trump recently floated the idea of the U.S. imposing tolls on the vital waterway, describing it as “services rendered as the guardian angel to the countries of the Middle East.”

Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters Wednesday that a final deal would not include allowing Iran to impose tolls or fees over the strait.

To be sure, Article 5 of the MOU appeared to leave the door open for Iran and Oman to discuss imposing tolls at some point.

“Iran will make arrangements using its best efforts for the safe passage of commercials vessels with no charge, for 60 days only,” according to the MOU. “The Islamic Republic of Iran will conduct dialog with the Sultanate of Oman to define the future administration and maritime services in the Strait of Hormuz.”

The Trump administration maintains that talks between the U.S. and Iran continue.